I Am Jack's Smirking Revenge
by MelissaCanFlyy
Summary: A Jack Napier story in Jack's POV. How The Joker got his scars. This isn't just a romance, the main focus is just Jack in general. This story is also on Mibba.
1. I Am Jack

As strange as it sounds, I was actually looking forward to starting a new year of school. Anything beats being in this hole that I call my home. Every year I'd desperately try and deny the fact that the summer holiday's were approaching and that I'd have nothing else to do but be forced to stay in the house and listen to the constant drunken, bellows from my father as he backhands my defenceless mother to the ground, claiming that 'she was a no good whore and I was a pathetic excuse for a boy, who held no particular use to him at all. I was a mistake. I should have been a forced abortion instead of having to have the shotgun wedding.' The words were hurtful, but having to put up with him for 17 years of my life, I've managed to block out anything he threw at me. Mentally, I mean. Physically was different. No matter how long I'd have to put up with him, I'd never be able to form some kind of superhuman force field, allowing me to feel no pain.

Even if my mum was beaten profusely more so in the summer, she said she preferred the summer break to any other holiday. 'Work was best in the summer' she'd tell me. Not once, however, did she tell me what she did for a living, although I'd never actually asked her. I think she just assumed that I knew what she did, which was a correct assumption. I wonder if she chose to use her own name 'Heather' when working, or if she made up some exotic alter ego for the men's pleasure. It was hard to find a job in Gotham, especially when you live in The Narrows. Yes, the prostitution industry was positively thriving nowadays.

My dad on the other hand, did nothing for the family. I hated having to share the same name as him. Jack was such a dull name, but it made it even worse to think that he was named that too. I was constantly reminded of him whenever someone would call my name, and I hated it. He'd spend all the money made from my mom to pay for all the booze he drank. Then after all the money had gone he'd complain about not having enough money, so he'd take out his aggression on either me or my mom (sometimes both of us if we're lucky) until he got more money to buy more booze. The whole thing would repeat itself when the money was low. It was like one big vicious circle.

The neighbourhood I lived in was rough and overflowing with sex, drugs, violence and any other illegal activity you can think of. Not only was it full of living scum, but also some serious mental people who deserved to be locked away in Arkham Asylum lived nearby. If I was to write a book about all of the nuts who lived in my street, I assure you; it'd be a best seller. One old man who wore short denim shorts and green wellingtons on a regular basis enjoyed walking his ginger cat up and down the street repeatedly. Whenever he'd get the chance to, he'd ask if I wanted to stroke his pussy which just freaked me out even more than he already did. I went to extreme lengths just to avoid talking to him. Another man who lived just across the road from me opened his battered, garage door nightly claiming that he needed to let his car breathe. Maybe it wouldn't have been as strange if there actually was a car inside the garage.

As a younger child, I remember listening to the fights between my mom and dad coming from downstairs and I'd cry relentlessly, burying my head under the pillow as an attempt to block out the noises. I remember thinking that it must be the same in every family, until I started my first year of school. Everyone else's parents seemed relatively normal and loving towards each other, unlike mine. It was even tougher for me, being a lonely child. At least when you have a sibling, you'd have someone to share your feelings with who knew exactly what you were going through. Being alone left me to fend for myself and being troubled with my own unsettling, troubled thoughts. When I heard my dad leave the house in search for more alcohol, I'd creep downstairs to comfort my mom. She'd always have her face buried into her hands with salty tears rolling down her wrists. Every time she'd lift her head up, I was shocked at how messed up her face was because of him. I stopped trying to make things better for her when I reached the age of 14. Both her and I knew things weren't going to get better, so who was I trying to kid?

Although school wasn't a lot better than being at home, it was still an improvement nevertheless. I seemed to be one of those people at school who everyone hates. Every now and then you'll meet a person which you'll inexplicably hate without being able to give a reason. I fell into that category. I wasn't liked in school, but I didn't necessarily care. What could they do which was worse than what happened behind closed doors? I was kind of a trouble maker at school. Not intentionally; I was just the one who'd throw the first punch. It wasn't as if I went around punching people for no valid reason; they were the ones who antagonised me. I've never actually thought about why they treated me like they did; I just took it on the chin. It was because of all the fights I'd gotten in that the teachers didn't like me either. Because I was little out of the norm and I didn't abide by the rules and regulations of the school. Nor am I a very bright kid; or that's what they thought. My favourite subject is chemistry. I remember the first time I did an experiment; I set the lab desk on fire with the Bunsen burner by accident. Hmm, maybe that's the reason I'm failing the subject. The inclusion room was where they sent all of the troublemakers and I spent the majority of my time in there.

I suppose I could make friends if I tried. But that's the problem; I didn't try because I didn't care. I was a loner. I couldn't blend with the Goth kids who'd protest that they're not Goths; they're Emos. I didn't want to listen to any of their stories on how living's just a waste of death and talking's just a waste of breath. It's a cry for attention if you ask me.

A lot of the teacher's in my school were just as twisted and as crooked as the street I lived on. None of them had any moral fibre in their body. I never knew that creeps like these were able to get a job teaching teens and prepubescent kids. Funny world we live in. Whenever I did spend time in my classes, my mind would be distracted by the thought of how much longer I'd had to endure the possibility that I could be raped any second by this fucking twisted creep.


	2. Meet Madison Paige

I woke up to the sound of my alarm clock's monotonous ring. Groggily my eyes widened, slowly adjusting to the light shining into the room and soon after, I slammed my fist down onto the clock stopping it from continuing the annoying ring. I hated waking up in the morning. Being asleep was the only time that I was able to be completely at ease with out a worry in the world. Waking up just reminds you of the realities of the world and the realisation sends a sickly feeling to your stomach. At least the weather seemed nice for the first day of school. For the past few years, the first day of school consisted of a lot of rain creating a sense of pathetic fallacy, where the weather matches the mood of the moment. Today, however, was different.

Instead of analysing today's weather any longer, I stood up from my creaky bed and began searching for clothes lying around on the floor. My bedroom was an absolute tip, with clothes (dirty and clean) scattered across the floor in a lazy mess. Eventually, I picked out a pair of plain denim jeans and a t-shirt from the array of clothing on the floor. After I had pulled them on, I tiredly meandered out of the room and quietly down the stairs. Nothing else in the house could be heard, other than the squeak of the steps. It always was quiet in the mornings. The reason being that my dad was usually passed out on the sofa after a long night of drinking and my mom quietly smoked a cigarette in the kitchen near the window.

Just as I had expected, when I entered the living room, dad was completely knocked out on the sofa along with a bottle of alcohol dangling limply from his hand. Trying not to wake him, I quietly tiptoed across the room and into the kitchen. My mom was sitting on the kitchen counter, beside the sink as she emotionlessly peered out of the window, cigarette in hand. It looked as if she was recovering from last night's events. Work not being very good concludes with an unhappy father. I assume you know the rest.

I always found it hard to speak to my mom. I never knew what to say for the best as she was always the first one to speak. She was too deep in thought to notice that I had entered the room, or maybe she merely didn't hear me. Either way I timidly stepped further into the kitchen. It was when I had reached the fridge when her head snapped into my direction, looking a lot like a rabbit caught in headlights. Her bottom lip was bust open slightly and still had a smidgen of dry blood circling the wound; however this was not the worst I've seen her.

"Good morning, sweetie. Looking forward for your first day of school?" She asked sounding a little rough. Her voice was more muted than usual as to not wake up my dad. Although I highly doubted that a fog horn would be able to wake him up at this moment in time. Once my dad fell asleep nothing could wake him. "It's a beautiful day for school."

"Not bothered," I replied monotonously. The short answer saddened my mother's dull expression. I hadn't intended to upset her; I just didn't know what to add to the answer. Seeing the reaction made me want to say more, but no other words came to mind. My mouth opened and closed a few times attempting to speak _something_, but my mind went completely blank. "I don't like school too much."

"Why don't you ever tell me anything, Jack? You know you can talk to me whenever you want? You shouldn't have to hesitate to talk to me; I'm your mother. I'm sick of always having to be informed on things a week later from your school. Please...just talk to me," she stammered. She blew out a puff of smoke and then returned to glancing out of the window. My feet shuffled nervously and somewhat ashamed. I knew she was right; I should tell my mother more, but I'd hate to confess to some of the things I did in school. Besides, whenever I wanted to talk to my mom, my dad was usually in earshot. Whether I confessed to doing a good or bad thing, my dad would have some bone to pick with me or he'd ridicule me relentlessly. My mom wouldn't defend me, being too afraid, and that was the reason I couldn't talk to her.

Not knowing what to say to that, I walked over to her and awkwardly wrapped my arms around her. Actions speak louder than words, so I figured a hug would suffice what I was trying to convey. She quickly hopped down off the counter and returned the hug extremely tight. She was a lot smaller than I was, so her head was pressed against my chest as if she was never going to see me again. "I love you, Jack. Don't ever forget that," my mom said as she let go.

"Love you too," I said a little hushed, feeling embarrassed at the fact that I was expressing my feelings. Seldom did I ever express any emotions or feelings, so it was a little awkward when I did, to say the least.

After we had exchanged our goodbyes and I had grabbed something to eat and drink I headed out of the front door with my backpack on my shoulder. Even though the weather looked nice from the inside, it was still extremely bitter out. The weather had deceived me and now I had to endure the freezing cold walk to the school; a long walk to school may I add, considering I had to take the long route just to get away from the crazy cat man; Although the quickest route wasn't a lot shorter than the longest.

Every day on my walk to school, I'd pass a huge house upon a hill. I knew who it belonged to. Everyone in Gotham knew who it belonged to. It was the Wayne Manor; isolated from all other houses, too high and mighty to be associated with any other. No matter how big and beautiful it was, I couldn't help but be tempted to throw a great big rock through the front window, simply out of spite and jealousy of a better life. I'd heard that the eldest of the Wayne family had both been shot by a mugger leaving their kid to fend for himself a few years ago. It was all over GCN. Nevertheless, I couldn't help but envy the Bruce kid. I couldn't care less if my dad dropped dead, not so much my mother. It sounds ungrateful, but I know he thinks the same of me. I'm basically dead to him anyway.

After staring at the house with pure determination to one day throw a rock through one of the windows, I continued walking towards the school. The school that Bruce did not go to because he was oh-so faultless and too perfect to go to a public school. I wasn't sure where he went. He was probably home schooled since I don't think I've ever seen him out of the house. With a house like that you wouldn't want to leave.

I took a deep breath before taking a step inside of the school. Already I was met with the sound of loud muffled voices, yet I wasn't able to hear any audible English words. It all sounded like a monotonous beeping drone, like a dead phone line. A few people glared at me in disinterest, rolled their eyes and turned away from me instantaneously after. I pretended to take no notice of them and nonchalantly walked down the corridor towards my locker. This new year of school I was trying not to start the fights and I rise above anything they said to me, but I wasn't promising anything. Unfortunately, I took after my dad when it came to my temper. I knew I couldn't control it and I could easily switch from Dr Jekyll to Mr Hyde within a split second. Luckily no one had even attempted to speak to me so far; therefore I had no reason to get angry.

Whilst shoving my bag into the locker, I noticed the locker beside me open too. No-one usually used that locker beside me. For a second, I took a glimpse at the girl who was standing next to me. Her hair was really dark brown looking almost black with eyes to match. She was about 5'7" in height, but her skinny figure made her look taller. I'd never seen her before so I'm assuming that she's new. But then again a lot of the faces in this school seemed to be unfamiliar to me.

Once I had turned back to my locker, I suddenly felt as if she was the one staring at me now. I wasn't sure if I was being paranoid or not, but it definitely felt like her eyes were burning a hole into the side of my face. Timidly, I shut the door of the locker and then locked it. Just as she opened her mouth to say something, I turned around and walked towards my next class. It was probably going to be something smarmy or disinteresting anyway. When I thought I had gotten away from her, I turned around for a second to see if she was still at the locker and then noticed she was following me. She was following me! I'd never been in a situation like this so I had no idea on what to do. Casually, I continued walking until I reached my class.

She even followed me into the class! What was she playing at? I was too busy focusing on her to realise someone sticking their foot out from underneath the desk; therefore, clumsily I stumbled over the foot but managed to regain my composure without actually falling over. Nevertheless, all of the class snickered and sneered, whispering insults within the laughter. I shook my head angrily as I walked to the back of the class and sat in the far corner of the room, where I usually sat alone. Today however, my solitariness was disrupted when that girl decided to place herself in the seat right next to me. I sighed heavily making sure she heard it as I rested my head in my hand. She stared straight ahead at the teacher, while I glared at her with pure venom in my eyes. Why I disliked her so much was beyond me, but for some reason she had already begun to grate on me without saying a word. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have tripped over and made a fool out of myself.

Her head snapped around with her hair dropping in her eyes slightly, a bright and cheery smile plastered across her face. My expression of odium didn't alter at all. And with one little sentence, somehow I knew she was going to play a big part in my life, whether it be a good or bad part. "Hey, I'm Madison Paige."


	3. The Freakshow

**Chapter 3: The Freakshow**

**Madison Paige**. She was trouble. I could just tell she was. All girls in general are. She was different, however; with her bright fucking smile plastered across her rosy fucking cheeks, I knew she had a cruel and nasty streak running through her. Why would she be attempting to talk to a guy like me, without having something up her sleeve? Well, maybe I was just being paranoid, but I like to think of myself as a great judge of character and she, I could read just like a book. But people can be twofaced and if she does turn out to be the sweetest girl alive, then I apologise in advance for making false accusations.

"I'm new here in Gotham," she started. The first question that came to mind was, why. Why Gotham? Gotham's just a shit hole, full of scum and gang mobs with terrible eye sores and high rates of criminal activity. I didn't ask the question, but I couldn't help but wonder why anyone with a sane mind would want to come to Gotham. Frankly I was too pissed off to even acknowledge that she was talking to me and that I should speak back. I knew I was being selfish and ungrateful, considering that throughout my years of school I'd constantly wondered why people hated me and didn't want to talk to me. Now that someone was, I could understand why. I was wary and afraid of any kind of social interaction. I made every second awkward and killed every conversation. I was this way because of my home life. I was always conscious of what I said to my parents, specifically to my dad so that I wouldn't be badly treated because of it. Now it was the same with every conversation I had. "I and my parents have just moved here from Chicago because of work. It wouldn't hurt me to make new friends, so...what's your name?"

I'd feel a little harsh if ignored her any longer, considering that it was her first day of school. "I'm Jack Napier," I replied in a low, husky voice.

"Oh, like jackanapes?" My brow knitted together in utter confusion. The resemblance between the names hadn't occurred to me before. "Are you mischievous, Jack? Like jackanapes?"

"Um..." I merely shrugged my shoulders in reply. "Why are you talking to me?"

She looked a little taken aback at the question and somewhat down heartened. "What's wrong with that? You looked alone, so I wanted to talk to you. I needed a friend and considering that your locker was right next to mine I thought I'd introduce myself. Is that such a problem?"

"Look, you don't want to be talking to me. Just because I'm alone doesn't mean I want to be talked to. You start talking to me and you're getting in with the wrong crowd. I'm a loner around here. Other people choose not to talk to me."

"I'm not _other people_. Don't start thinking that I'm going to follow the crowd just because that's what everyone else thinks. I'm not like that. But if you're too self-pitied and too sorry for yourself, then fine. I won't talk to you."

"Don't-"

"Mr Napier! Please be quiet!" The female teacher howled, who resembled a candy cane with both looks and smell. She was painfully stick-thin with pinned back auburn hair and her attire usually consisted of red and white. I'd never liked, Miss Maybury. Because I sat alone in the class and talked seldom, she tended to ask me the majority of the questions she had. Most of the time I had no idea what the answer was, simply because I hadn't been paying attention. I reckon I could be able to answer any questions she threw at me, if I was to listen to her annoying, nagging drone.

"But she-"

"No buts! Just pay attention!"

"This is-"

"Okay! I've had it up to here with you," she exclaimed as her bony hand rose towards her forehead. It made me want to slap her stupid, painted-on eyebrows off her brow. "Get to the inclusion room now!"

Without anymore protests, I angrily stood up from my chair, knocking it over in the process. I gave Madison one final glare before I stormed out of the room. She stared back looking slightly apologetic. No way was I going to the inclusion room on my first day back for something so minor and completely idiotic. It wasn't even my fault to begin with. Fucking Madison. The next time I saw her I was going to grab her by the shoulders and tell her to stay away from me; for her and my benefit. I made my way out to the back of the school as profound and vicious thoughts ran through my head. I couldn't help it. I had a mean streak running through me which couldn't be controlled or hidden.

I sat against the brick wall of the school as I lit up a cigarette. I hardly ever bought cigarettes, for lack of money. I worked a small part-time job near home as a dishwasher in a small cafe and this was the only chance I could get to rake in a small amount of money. The majority of that money went straight to my parents. And the majority of that money that was given to my parents was spent on alcohol. Surprise, surprise. I hated that place. The place smelt of stale bread and burning fat. It was hard to believe that a place like that was allowed to sell food, where the cockroaches run the cafe and the workers are their slaves. Thankfully, I didn't have to work there a lot, but that meant the pay wasn't too good. Nonetheless, at least I got something out of it.

As I took my first drag of the cigarette, I suddenly felt completely at ease. Watching as some of the smoke was exhaled into the air as it slowly dispersed. My place of solitude was once again disrupted when I noticed that a group of kids from the school were making their way towards me. They must have been skiving too. These kids were the 'it' kids. To me, they were just jerks who liked to bully me, for lack of a better word. Many times I had been put into inclusion for getting into fights with these guys. The group leader, Kyle Richards, was the one I was most likely to end up in a fight with. He was the stereotypical pretty boy. He had golden sweptback hair with light blue eyes and a natural bronze skin tone to compliment his oh-so godly body structure. Steroids, I thought. He couldn't possibly work-out; he was still a weakling.

"Well, well. If it isn't the freakshow," Kyle whooped as he approached closer. I rolled my eyes and scoffed at the nickname. The Freakshow; I don't even know how I had gotten the nickname. I hadn't done anything to influence them to call me that. It wasn't just them, it was everyone. What people didn't know, they'd make up. They'd make up little rumours and then it'd expand into a huge rumour. Such a minor thing could develop into something so preposterous. For example, I could simply state that I had seen a squirrel and that would turn into me eating squirrels on a regular basis. People did this because they were bored of their own pathetic little lives. "So, how's your mom?" He asked. Somehow, word had gotten out about what my mom did for a living. I don't know how or who started it, but I'd normally retaliate whenever someone ridiculed her for what she was. This time, however, I decided to rise against it. I ignored their taunting and apelike laughter and took another drag of the cigarette.

"What's wrong, freak? Can't you speak now?" Another boy questioned. Great; another rumour for them start up.

"I'm sorry, I don't speak jerk," I said monotonously, still not looking at any of them. All of a sudden, I was viciously yanked up by the scruff of my neck and slammed against the brick wall, which made me drop my cigarette on the floor. I was tempted to fight back, but I held back any punches just to hear anything amusing come out of him. Kyle gripped me tightly around my throat as he attempted to look threateningly at me. The look just didn't work for him, with his soft, baby faced features. It was hilarious more than anything. I snickered at his attempt to be manly.

"What the hell are you laughing at?" Kyle hollered.

"Hey! What are you kids doing?" I heard a more matured voice exclaim. I turned my head to the side to see my headmaster, Mr Williams walking towards us. "Put that boy down!" He ordered. I guessed by 'boy' he meant me. Kyle did as he was told and let go of the nape of my neck. Exaggeratedly, I rubbed the skin that been gripped, hoping to gain some sympathy from the teacher. Obviously, my acting skills were proving to be a success as he began patting my back soothingly. "All you lot, to the inclusion room now! I'll deal with you later!" He shouted aiming it at Kyle's gang. I smiled victoriously at them as they glared at me with venom in their eyes. "Jack, are you okay, boy?" This was rich; A teacher that was actually being considerate. It was usually me that got the blame for things.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I replied still acting shook up.

"I'll make sure that those boys don't bother you again," Mr Williams confirmed. "Now run along to class, boy." I did as I was told and made my way into the school once again. By the time I had entered, the school bell had rung and pupils had already begun to crowd the hallways. I leaned against my locker casually and saw Madison making a beeline towards me. I rolled my eyes at her persistence. She showed no sign in giving up talking to me.


	4. Playing Hooky

**Chapter 4: Playing Hooky**

"Can you just leave me alone," I growled as I turned and faced my locker.

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get you into trouble. I know we've kind of started off on the wrong foot, but please just forgive me," I heard her whine from behind me. Something about her voice was irritating and also incredibly alluring at the same time. Although it was high pitched, it still held a strange raspy tone to it. I began figuring that she smoked, despite her caramel fragranced scent which told me otherwise. There was also the fact that she looked like the type of girl who wouldn't smoke. But that's just me being stereotypical. She seemed more of a daddy's girl, with a perfect life with idealistic friends and a more than decent home. Basically, the total opposite of me. "So are you just going to stand there with your head against your locker, or are you going to accept my apology?"

"Fine," I sighed, giving in to her attempts to talk to me. "I forgive you." Just saying it made my tongue itch with discomfort, but seeing her reaction made me feel a little regretful. Her smug smile widened and seemed to lighten up the whole room. I must admit, it was a stunning smile, just like everything else about her.

"That's good. You didn't miss much in the lesson. The teacher just basically recited a few chapters of Hamlet. I forgot to read it when I was in my old school. Is he going to fuck his mom?"

"Uh...I don't think so. No."

"Oh...well anyway, what's your next lesson?" She questioned as she twirled her hair around her finger. I opened my mouth about to reply before she interrupted me. "Want to skip it?" That was a surprise. I didn't see her as the type to skive either, especially on her first day in the new school. But whatever floats her boat. I'm happy just as long as I can get out of this place.

"Yeah, sure. Why not?"

"Cool," she chirped gleefully. She spun around on her heel and started heading towards the main entrance of the school.

"Hey, where are you going?"

"I thought you were skipping with me."

"I am, but you can't go out that way. The secretary at the main desk will catch you. You need to go out the back. Come on," I ordered as I nudged my head towards the fire exit at the back. Going this way meant we had to take the long way out of the building, but I knew for certain that we'd get caught the other way. I should know; it's happened to me before, sending me straight to the inclusion room. Madison skipped towards me to catch up as I neared the back door. Halfway down the corridor, I saw Kyle emerging from a crowd of people, his eyes aimed at me with hatred. He was marching towards me, with his followers close behind. As he approached closer, it seemed like he was walking in slow motion. His long strides resembled that of a gay model. I didn't know whether to laugh or run.

Kyle's shoulder aggressively collided with mine, knocking me back a little as he passed. He paused for a second to whisper in my ear, "You're gonna pay for that."

"Fuck you," I snarled as I shoved his shoulder just as hard and then continued walking towards the exit. Madison was still by my side, looking a little bewildered to say the least. She was gently gripping my shoulder, to slow me down and to get my attention, considering that I hadn't made eye contact with her or acknowledged her presence ever since the run in with Kyle.

"What the hell was that all about?" Madison hissed, sounding concerned and worried. "Who's he?"

"He's a nobody. He doesn't like me and I don't like him. End of story," I replied sternly, hinting that I wasn't going to tell her anymore so that she wouldn't question me any further. I think she took the hint, when I noticed her nod understandingly yet she still remained looking a little lost. There was a silence after that, which I couldn't fathom whether or not it was an awkward or comfortable one. Either way it was quiet. The silence was disrupted for a moment when the school bell ran indicating that it was time to get back to class. Then the silence consumed once again.

I noticed Madison fiddling around in her oversized handbag searching for something and I noticed how frail and thin her arms were. Not just her arms, but everywhere else too. She wore skinny jeans, but were they actually skinny? Not really. Skinny jeans were supposed to hug tightly around the legs, but hers seemed to hang off of her. She mustn't eat lot judging by the sticklike figure, but I think her height accentuated her thinness. Eventually, after enough searching around she pulled out a box of cigarettes. My pondering had been answered; she was a smoker. "Want one?" She asked as she thrust the box towards me. Willingly, I took this as a chance for a free cigarette, considering that the one I had previously had been wasted because of Kyle. I took out my own lighter to light the cigarette, while Madison did the same. By the time they were both lit, we had made it to the front of the school without getting caught. There was something so deliciously satisfying about making it out of the school without anyone questioning your destination. It was probably jeopardising my education vastly, but I'd deal with that problem when the time comes around. I guess I'll never know what I missed on the first day back at school.

"Where are we actually going?" I asked once I realised that we were both mindlessly meandering along the streets.

"I'd thought you would have known. I was just following you," she replied as we came to a sudden stop. "Why don't you show me around Gotham? You probably know where all the good stuff is. What street do you live on?"

"I live on a small street in The Narrows. Trust me; you don't want to go down there."

"Why not?"

"It's full of scum. Why don't you just show me your street instead?"

"I will, once you've shown me your street. I want to be aware of the danger that is The Narrows. You wouldn't want me to get hurt down there, would you Jack?" She asked, sounding somewhat seductive. I knew she was just trying to sway me into taking her down my street.

"You're a very persistent girl, you know that?"

"Guilty as charged."

I sighed giving into her wants. We made small talk on the walk to The Narrows and I noticed that this girl loved to talk. I hadn't known her for a day and already I knew her life story. Well the majority of it anyway. I'd found out that she had a beagle called Domino, both her parents were still together and happy, her dad now worked with Wayne Enterprises while her mom was a simple housewife. Her favourite colour was purple, she loved anyone who could make her laugh and had a thing for dudes in bands. I didn't say a lot, which I was thankful for seeing as I probably wouldn't have been able to say a lot about myself. Even if she was a little more upfront about her life, I wasn't. She had nothing to hide, while I did.

Eventually, we reached the street that I lived on feeling a little ashamed that I had to admit I live here. I'd lived here all my life. The street seemed a little more harmless during the day, but as soon as the Sun disappeared the street became deprived and overflowed with filth, like the street had its own alter ego. However, the street was still trashy with alcohol bottles and cans scattered everywhere, even condoms and syringes could be seen every so often. "Well, here we are," I muttered. Madison didn't say anything back. Instead she absorbed her surroundings, looking slightly disgusted whenever she laid eyes upon anything that was a little vile looking, which basically summed up everything on the street. "Oh no," I murmured to myself quietly.

"What's wrong?" Madison asked. Before I had a chance to answer, the crazy cat man had already made his way towards us. He wore his usually attire; green wellingtons with short denim shorts and on off-white vest which looked like it hadn't been cleaned in years. His ginger cat was being tugged along by his side, looking rather suicidal, even if it was just a cat. The cat began hissing at me as soon as it noticed me. Cats didn't seem to like me; I'm more of a dog lover anyway.

"Well hello there, Jacky boy. How are you on this fine day?"

"I'm fine, Mr Millington," I answered monotonously. His head turned and stared at Madison up and down, with his creepy looking ogling. For some reason, I felt obligated to shield Madison and felt as if I should have done or said something to get the creep to stop looking at her weird. Maybe I was just being a little paranoid, but I seemed to be protective towards her, probably just because she was a girl. I didn't bother saying or doing anything about it just yet because it would have been inappropriate, but when push came to shove I wouldn't be afraid to.

"Who is this young girl here, eh?"

"This is Madison."

"Oh, hello Madison. Would you like to stroke my pussy?" He asked as he tugged at the leash, making the poor cat emit a choked cry. I felt Madison grip my arm tightly as she doubled over with laughter.

I tried to force her into an upright position and whispered for her to stop laughing. She didn't listen and instead began laughing into my chest as she held my shoulders for support. I was slightly embarrassed by the display and I didn't know how to explain the situation to Mr Millington. "As you can see, she is completely crazy, so I hope you don't mind that we should be leaving now. She needs to get home and take her medicine as soon as possible. Goodbye, Mr Millington." He nodded understandingly as I wrenched Madison's arm past him. She never stopped laughing, even after Mr Millington was out of earshot. "Will you shut up," I chuckled. "You're making him look sane!"

"I'm sorry, but that was so funny," she snickered as she wiped a tear away from her eye from laughing so hard. My laughing had began to cease however as we approached closer to my house. I stopped momentarily just to stare at it. My dad was probably awake by now, whether he was in the house or not I wasn't sure. My mom most likely was considering she didn't have work until eight. "What's wrong?" Madison asked when she noticed me staring.

"I live in that house," I admitted as I continued to stare at the dilapidated building. My house was small and looked as if it was being sandwiched and crushed between the two larger looking buildings that were on either side of it. The curtains were scarcely open and the door had no lock, open for anyone to sneak in and take advantage of all our possession. I was just surprised that no-one on the street had attempted it yet. The fact that there wasn't anything worth stealing made it less surprising. The stairs looked as if they were ready to collapse and from both the interior and exterior perspective, it looked as if the building was just waiting to be torn down.

"Can we go inside?" Madison asked already starting towards the building, before I hastily grasped her hand and pulled her back.

"No...um...I don't want my parents knowing that I'm truanting," I stuttered. I conjured up the lie quicker than I had expected. The real reason was that I didn't want to risk the chance of her meeting both my mom and my dad and then the possibility of her asking questions about my personal life. "Maybe another time," I suggested with a smile, so it would appease her. She nodded and continued walking down the street. Everything was quiet until Madison decided to let out a high pitched scream. I jumped in shock and grasped Madison's arm protectively. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"Look!" She commanded as she pointed her finger down the street. "The carnival's here! The carnival's here!" She squealed with excitement. Sure enough, there was a carnival being set up in what was once an abandoned dirt field surrounded by a chain link fence. Now it was full of trucks and vans ready to set up for the fairground. I was a little astonished at why they had picked a destination so close to The Narrows. I could only imagine the amount of trash that was going to be making their way here tonight. Total scum fest. "Come on, Jack," she yelped as she jolted towards the unset carnival. I jogged to keep up with her pace. When we made it to the entrance of the chain link fence, there was a large, laminated notice hanging from the gate. It stated that the carnival would be open at six. We read it in unison and as soon as Madison had finished reading she shrieked again. This time I had to cover my ears. What was with her and her annoying screams! "Oh my god, Jack, we have to go!"

"Why do you want to go? Bright, flashing lights, hobo looking gypsies and rides that make you feel sick don't sound like my idea of fun."

"Oh, will you lighten up! You'll enjoy it, I promise you. As long as you're with me, I know you will. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." I stayed silent and stared at her incredulously. I needed money if I was going to be going to this carnival, which was something I lacked in. The thought of asking my dad for money was comical and thought of asking my mom was doubtful. "Please?"

"Fine," I gave in after she showed me her puppy dog eyes. I couldn't say no to them.

"Thank you! Pick me up at six and if you fail to show up I'll come down here at night, alone may I add and I'll find you! I know where you live and don't think I'm going to take the situation lightly!" The thought of her walking alone down here at night was more frightful than her implication of a threat.

"It's going to be pretty hard to pick you up, considering that I don't know where you live."

"Oh, yeah. I'll show you now!"

Maybe I was a little wrong about Madison. She did seem like the sweetest girl alive, but you never know; she might just flip. The slightest push just may make me see otherwise. _All it takes is one bad day to reduce the sanest man alive to lunacy_.


	5. Meet The Parents

**Chapter 5: Meet The Parents**

Surprise, surprise, Madison's house was a lot nicer than mine. She lived in a suburban area, which was smack bang in the middle of The Narrows and the heart of Gotham. Almost every house looked identical with pristine, green lawns, a white picket fence and a red brick pathway leading all the way to white door at the front of the home. The whole street was tranquil and peaceful, overflowing with serenity. The Narrows was black and white compared to this vibrant street. I felt like Dorothy from _The Wizard of Oz_ when she first steps foot into Oz and out of Kansas.

The place seemed almost too perfect and I knew that things must have been different behind closed doors. Everyone has something they regret doing or wants to hide, no matter how deceiving their lifestyle may be to the naked eye. Anyone who says otherwise is either lying or too afraid to admit it. So far it seemed as if Madison had not yet came across any bumps in the road along her perfect life. But I knew eventually, someday there will be a bad day for her, whether it affects her severely or not. No, I wasn't wishing ill fortune upon her, nor was I trying to play God. I'm merely stating a fact. Bad things happen to good people and mistakes are also made. People just have to learn to overcome the bad to see the good. It's one of life's biggest downfalls.

"I don't think anyone's home. Mom's car isn't here," Madison figured as she walked up the pathway to her home. "Come on. You can come in for a bit before my mom gets home." I nodded and followed her into her house, still a bit wary in case her mom actually was in there. If I was ever going to meet her mom, I wanted it to be a good impression and being caught with her daughter skiving school wouldn't be a good one.

When I first entered the house, I was met with a fragrance of lavender and a small hint of vanilla. Soft pastel colours had been used on the decor, taking attention away from how overly decorated the house was. The house resembled a Barbie Dream House from the inside and the outside. Not that I've ever played with Barbie's. It's just how I'd imagined one to look.

I heard the skittering of tiny claws come bounding into the hallway. Madison's dog, Domino, was hurdling towards me with great speed and a demented look in his eyes. Thankfully, it wasn't a big dog otherwise I would have been knocked back out of the house and to the ground. The dog started yapping at me as he leapt up onto my leg with his tail wagging profusely. I picked the little beagle up and he began attempting to lick my face.

"I'm sorry about him. He's a little overfriendly and gets too excited," Madison apologised.

"He's a cute little guy," I admitted as I stroked him and placed him on the ground. His tail continued wagging frantically as he looked up at me looking somewhat eager. "And this is a nice house."

"Thanks. It takes awhile to get used to. Do you want anything to eat while you're here?" Madison asked as she began walking down the hallway. I glanced down at my watch and realised that people may have began to leave school by now. I should have been going home, but I didn't know what else to do but to follow her.

"No. I'm okay," I replied as we entered her kitchen. "You know, I should be getting home now. My mom's probably expecting me."

"Aw. Okay then. Don't forget about what I said though. Pick me up at six and we'll walk down to the carnival together. I'll be ready for you by the time you come."

"Okay. Um...bye," I said a little awkwardly as I waved before leaving the house. As soon as I had left the house I began thinking of ways to find a few bucks before six o'clock. No worthy plans sprang to mind straight away and the ones that did seemed like a death wish. I knew exactly where my father's money stash was. Getting it without getting caught was the tricky part. I didn't even have to attempt it to know that.

When I reached home the house seemed completely empty. My father was usually out at this time of the day, but mom was usually in. I heard the shower running from upstairs, so I assumed that she was in there. This gave me some time to seek out some money lying around. I felt like a criminal doing it, but I quietly snuck up the jar that held all of the savings. Rightfully, some of it was already mine considering that all my pay slips went into that jar, so technically I shouldn't have felt so bad about doing it. I guess it was just the fear of the consequences that made it feel so negative. I reached up for the jar that lay on the top shelf of the bookcase in the living room and quickly unscrewed the top of it. I pulled out the first note I found, which happened to be a ten. I imagined that my dad would be too drunk to realise that any money would be missing and he's probably figure that he just spent it on booze. Just as I shoved it into my back pocket I heard the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs.

I panicked as I hurriedly screwed the lid back on and shoved it onto the top shelf. By the time I had turned around, my mom was standing at the door frame and I stared at her looking as if I had just been caught doing something I really shouldn't have been doing. "Uh...hey mom."

"Hey, Jack. I didn't hear you come in," she stated as she ran her hands through her wet hair and I noticed that her natural blonde hair was beginning to show at the roots of the black dye. "How was your first day of school?"

"It was...alright," I replied, easing my way towards her, cautious not to look suspicious. Suspicious for skiving school and also for the money tucked into my back pocket. So far she seemed none the wiser. "I met a new girl today. She seems pretty nice."

"Oh, a girl. What's her name? Is she pretty?" She questioned.

"She's called Madison. I guess she's kinda cute."

"You'll have to bring her around one time." What a joke. No way could I bring her around to this dump, especially when my dad was lurking around. I think it'd mentally scar Madison for life, like it had to me, if she ever came across my father drunk and vicious. I didn't want Madison to ever see him because I was ashamed and also because I knew I wouldn't be able to protect her from him if he ever to decided to take his anger out on her. I could try, but I'd fail terribly. "Just as long as your dad's out of the house." It was like she read my mind.

"Sure mom." I began edging past her so that I could make my way to the front door.

"Where are you going?" My mom asked curiously.

"I'm going out for a bit."

"Well where are you going?"

"Madison asked me to pick her up at six so that we could go out somewhere."

"Oh, okay. I probably won't be home when you get back. And remember, it's a school night so don't stay out for too long," she lectured as she grabbed me before I could leave a placed a huge kiss on my cheek. My face contorted with discomfort even after she had let me go. I left the house a little more than eagerly. I was extremely early to getting to Madison's but I had nothing else better to do. And my conscience was getting the best of me, so I couldn't stand a moment longer in the same room with my mom, otherwise she would have figured me out.

Since it was autumn, the Sun had already began to set and the streets were becoming darker and darker. This meant that the summoning of everything ungodly and sinful was commencing. It wasn't even six o'clock yet and already the streets were becoming depraved with a few whores standing on street corners. "Hey honey. Looking for a good time?" One of them asked me as I approached the edge of the curb. Scared, I quickly shook my head 'no'. She was sickeningly pale and her ratty, blonde extensions were doing her no justice. Simply touching her hand looked as though it'd be able to give you a disease, let alone having sex with her. The thought almost made me vomit. My step began to speed up so that I wouldn't get hounded by anymore hookers.

By the time I had reached Madison's house, I was still a little early. Nevertheless I knocked on the front door and waited for an answer. By the looks of it, both her mom and dad were home seeing as there were two cars parked in the driveway. Both looked incredibly flashy. I started regretting coming out early and wished that I had spent more time on fixing my appearance. I hadn't even looked in a mirror all day so I had no idea on how neat I looked.

Before the door had even opened I heard the barking of Domino coming from the other side. Eventually the door opened, revealing a man wearing a white shirt and a blue tie. I automatically assumed it was Madison's father. "Hello there. May I help you?"

"Is Madison here? I'm Jack; her friend from school," I explained, trying to sound as gentlemanly as possible.

"Oh, so you're Jack. Madison was telling me all about you. I'm Stan Paige; Madison's father. Why don't you come on in? Madison will be right down," he informed me as he ushered me into the house. Madison appeared at the top of the stairs once the doors had closed.

"Jack, you're early. I'm sorry, I'm not ready yet, but you can wait in the living room if you want." Her dad led the way into the living room where a blonde haired woman sat in an armchair reading a magazine. It must have been Madison's mom. She was really pretty like Madison; however her hair was a contrast to her moms. She was very pale too, unlike Madison. Madison took after her father, for her darker hair, eye colour and skin tone. Her mother looked immaculate and strict and I immediately felt as if she was unpleased with my appearance after her long penetrating examination with her sceptical eyes. My feet began to shuffle as I fiddled with my hands.

"Why don't you take a seat, Jack?" Stan suggested as he placed himself on one side of the sofa. I took the offer and sat on the opposite side. "Nat, this is Jack. He's Madison's new friend."

"I see. Well, I'm Natalie; Madison's mother." And with that she looked down and continued reading her magazine. She seemed a little less friendly than Stan and her words gave the impression that she wasn't too fond of me. Stan on the other hand, was a lot more approachable. He was really laidback and less judgmental.

"So, how long have you been living in Gotham?" Stan asked as he smiled at me.

"All my life. I live near downtown Gotham City; The Narrows," I replied, cringing in the process. I regretted the admittance of living there, ashamed. I even caught Natalie glance up at me with disapproval and sigh with annoyance. She placed the magazine down and scurried out of the living room and up the stairs. I stared at Stan curiously and lost at why she had left in such a hurry.

"The narrows, huh? That's a rough place. I hope you don't get involved with any...uh..."

"Oh, no. No, no. I hate living down there, I'd never do anything stupid like what you're suggesting," I interrupted knowing where the conversation was going.

"Oh, that's good. I don't want Madison getting involved with the wrong crowd."

"I assure you, I won't let that happen."

"Mom, just leave it! You can't tell me who I can and can't hang around with anymore! It's bad enough that you made me move here. It's only fair that I get to choose my own friends," I heard Madison exclaim to Natalie as she stomped down the stairs. It didn't take a genius to realise that they were talking about me, nor to understand that Natalie already didn't like me. She may have had her reasons but they probably weren't valid. She's barely known me for five minutes and already she had begun to judge me. "Let's go, Jack," Madison ordered, irritated with her mother.

I followed her out after exchanging my courteous goodbyes with her parents. Stan gladly shook my hand while Natalie merely nodded at me and meandered back into the living room. I felt extremely uncomfortable being in her presence. "I'm sorry about that," Madison began apologising as we started walking down the street. "My mom's a tad critical when it comes to other people. Being good isn't good enough for my mom."

"It's okay. I'm used to it."

"Anyway, let's forget about it. Aren't you really excited? I know I am!" Madison chirped. I was indifferent on the idea of going to the carnival. The carnival was always trashy looking and they always played shitty music. The people there were no better. There was just too many of them and people would just stare at you for no particular reason. It feels like one of those dreams when you're completely naked and there's nothing you can do about it until you wake up. The sugar coated food that was sold there was so saccharine thick that it obscured the fact that it was made with so many unhealthy additives and fats and were the leading cause to a heart attack.

By the time me and Madison had made it to the carnival, it was very dark but the flashy lights coming from the fair rides made it seem a lot lighter. Already the place was swarming with Gotham's inhabitants, the bright lights acting almost like a moth to a flame. Already I hated it.


	6. The Carnival

**Chapter 6: The Carnival**

I felt lost when I had first stepped foot into the carnival. It was physically impossible to keep your attention on one specific event for a second and the various amounts of activities happening seemed almost overwhelming. The excitement had become all too much for Madison and was technically vibrating from the excitement with a huge Cheshire grin plastered across her lips. I must admit, I had become a little eager from all the sights and sounds, but I suppressed my excitement knowing full well about all the dirt and filth that lay beneath it. Sure, the environment gave off a false sense of merriment overflowing with its fun filled amusements and vibrantly coloured attractions, but it's only after you've been conned out of all of your money when you realise what a waste it really was. The carnival in no way deemed useful to anyone but the carnies after the hype and adrenalin from the rides had worn away.

"Where do you want to go first?" Madison asked still absorbing the prominent perspective of the environment.

"Why don't we look around?" I suggested as we ventured deeper into the depths of the crowd within the carnival.

I heard the sound of children laughing as I came closer to a brightly coloured stage. Upon the stage stood a clown dressed completely in a variety of vibrant colours. He wore a red novelty nose and oversized shoes. All exposed flesh of the face, neck and ears was covered in white pain and the mouth was enlarged with a red smile. The eyes were also enlarged with blue and a black outlining, making the clown look surprised and comical. Another clown appeared on the stage with similar aspects of the outfit. I had my undivided attention completely at focus on the two clown's act as they produced gentle, slapstick comedy managing to entertain all the children who gazed eagerly at them. They were all so easily amused by the smallest jest and I felt immature for not being able to stop myself from cracking a smile.

"You know, Madison. In the future, if all else fails, I'm going to become a clown," I informed her with determination.

"Why?"

"So I can laugh at everything. All I'd have to do is laugh at everyone, so I'm going to join the circus to pursue the idea."

"No, Jack. That's not right. It's the opposite way around. The clowns are the ones who are sad and their always making a fool out of themselves as everyone else laughs at their misfortune."

"Well, I'm going to be the new kind of clown. I'm going to stand in the middle of the ring and laugh at the whole world."

With this new found determination, we wandered around the carnival more aimlessly. The sound of laughter had faded long ago and now only the sound of the latest pop songs could be heard from the speakers. Out in the distance I could see a mysterious looking velvety tent. It was deep purple with red trimming and the whole darkness of it all, made me feel somewhat intrigued. It looked slightly isolated from all other attractions and I didn't know whether it was deliberate or not, but it still managed to catch my attention. As we reached the tent closer, I discovered that inside was a fortune teller. I didn't believe in the superstitious gibberish, but something about the eerie environment urged me to want to go in.

"Shall we get our fortune read?" I asked Madison, who looked a little sceptic at the tent.

"I don't know, Jack. Something about these things just don't feel right. They're really creepy, don't you think? You can do it and I'll come in with you, but I'm not having my future read," she replied sounding nervous. I smiled sensing her fear.

"You scared, Madison? Are you a chicken?" I questioned her, jokingly. Playfully she shoved my shoulder and rolled her eyes as we entered the tent.

The tent was only small so as soon as we entered the tent, there sat a middle aged woman cross legged on the floor. I had to admit the scene looked extremely authentic with dark coloured pillows scattered and the dim lighting from the candles being the only thing to brighten the tent. It was creepy, to say the least, but the pumping of adrenalin overpowered any fearful thoughts I had. Madison on the other hand seemed a lot more scared than I and I noticed her shuffle closer to me as soon as we had entered the place.

The woman's attire consisted of dark blue, loose fitting clothes. She wore a lot of jewellery as well as make-up. She smiled when she saw that we had entered her tent. "Hello there. As you know, this place if for fortune telling and I am Lady Mystique; your fortune teller. Who might you two be?"

"I'm Jack and this is Madison," I replied pointing to each of us individually, seeing as Madison seemed to have lost the ability to breathe let alone speak.

"Take a seat," she ordered as she gestured to the cushions on the floor. Both me and Madison obeyed and sat across from her with our legs crossed. "Madison, you don't have to look scared, my dear. I'm not going to hurt you or wish ill-fortune upon you. I know no black magic so you can stop looking so terrified. My intentions aren't to scare you, but to inform you. So, who is it that wishes to have their fortune read?"

"Me," I answered.

"I see. To start, please place out your right hand." I did so, just as she reached her hands out. She clasped my hand in hers and began examining it thoroughly. She ran her fingers along every indent, line and curve as she stared at my hand peculiarly. Gently she pushed my hand away, indicating that she had finished the examination. "That's quite an interesting future, I must say. To interpret what I have just read after reading your palm I am going to be showing you a series of six different tarot cards. Each I will explain in detail and you will have to listen carefully to fully understand the meaning of each."

I nodded to show that I understood fully well. She pulled out a pile of cards from behind her and began shuffling the pack carefully. She cleared her throat as she pulled the first card from the pack and placed it on the small table in front of her. The lettering read, _**The Fool**_ across the bottom. Above it there was an image of a jester like fellow wearing bright colours who stood on the edge of a cliff and beside him was a small dog. "The Fool; The Fool is the most important out of all tarot cards. He is the character who undergoes the longest journey as he travels to a destination unknown. Filled with visions and daydreams is he, that he doesn't see the cliff he is likely to fall over. At his heel, a small dog harries him or tries to warn him of a possible misstep. This dog may not just represent a mere dog but may represent a close relative or someone you may know."

Lady Mystique pulled out the second card from the pack and laid it upon the table. _**The Lovers**_, it read. A male and female stood on either side of the card and in between them was an angel with some kind of tree in the background. "The Lovers; Once knowing his purpose and his destination, The Fool comes to a dead stop. A flowering tree marks the path he wants to take, but standing before it is a woman. This woman is different to any other he has encountered. He feels as if he has been shot in the heart with cupid's arrow, so shocking, so painful is his 'recognition' of her. The feeling intensifies as he speaks with her, feeling like he's found a missing part of himself. She feels the same way for him. They are so alike. He knows that it will be trouble to bring this woman along on his journey, but he dares not leave her behind. She is his future and together they head down a whole new road and journey. Whether this new love is Madison here, I cannot tell you."

The third card read _**The Hierophant**_ and on it was a royal looking man sitting on a throne between two pillars with a staff in his hand. His other hand is raised in blessing. "The Hierophant; The Fool is struck with fear after creating a solid foundation on which to build his future. He worries that everything will be taken away from him, is stolen or lost, or destroyed or vanishes. What if it's not good enough? Panicked, he finds The Hierophant. He explains his fears to him and asks to be free from them. "There are only two ways," says The Hierophant sagely, "Either give up which you fear to lose so it no longer holds any power over you, or consider what you will still have if your fear comes to pass. After all, if you did lose all you'd built, you would still keep the experience and knowledge that you've gained up to this point, wouldn't you?" This advice releases The Fool's fear and is able to face the World's challenges once again."

_**The Hanged Man**_ was written on the next card. There was a man dangling upside down by one foot from some kind of tree. His face is peaceful as his hands dangle to the floor. "The Hanged Man; Intent on finding his spiritual self, The Fool settles beneath a tree. Days pass by and on the ninth day, with no conscious thought of why, he climbs a branch and dangles upside down like a child, and for a moment gives up everything he is, wants, knows or cares about. Coins fall from his pockets and he sees them not as money, but as round bits of metal. But timeless as this moment of clarity seems, he realises that it will not last. He must right himself, and when he does, things will be different. He will have to act on what he's learned. For now, however, he just hangs, weightless as if underwater, observing, absorbing, seeing."

I was a little shocked at the impact of what was on the next card. _**Death**_ was written in bold and above it was a skeleton in black armour upon a white horse, holding a black flag with a white rose on it. "Death; The Fool continues, his head still clearing from visions after hanging from the tree. The air is cold and the trees are bare. In the distance is the rising sun along with a skeleton in black armour mounted on a white horse. The Fool asks, "Have I died?" He feels, in fact, rather empty and desolate. The skeleton answers, "Yes, in a way. You sacrificed your old world, your old self. Both are gone, dead." The Fool reflects on that, "How sad." Death nods in acknowledgement. "Yes, but it is the only way to be reborn. A new Sun is rising and it is for you, a time of great transformation." The Fool can feel the truth in the words as Death rides away. He feels like the skeleton when all that he was is stripped away. This is how all great transformation start, by stripping things to the bone, and building fresh upon the bare foundations."

On the final card, it read _**Devil**_. The image was of a winged, horned devil upon a black pedestal with a naked woman and man in chains on each side of him. "Devil; The Fool meets a creature half goat, half god. At his hooves, naked people linked to the god's throne by chains, engage in sinful indulgence; sex, drugs, drink. The closer the fool gets, the more he feels his own earthly desires rising in him. Lust, passion, obsession, greed. "I refuse to give into you!" he roars at the devil. The creature returns with, "All I am doing is bringing out what is already in you. Such feelings are nothing to fear, nothing to be ashamed of, or even to avoid." Gesturing towards the chained man and woman, The Fool retorts, "You say that, even though they are enslaved?" The beast mimics the Fool's gesture. "Take another look." The Fool realises that the chained collars are wide enough for them to easily slip off over their heads. "They can be free if they wish to be. Though you are right. I am the God of your strongest desires. But you see here only those who have allowed their base, bestial desires to control them." The devil gestures towards the peak of the mountain. "You do not see those who have allowed their impulses and aspirations to take them up to the top of that mountain. Inhibitions can enslave as easily as excesses. They can keep you from following your passion to the highest heights." The fool sees the truth in this. Here he understands now that the devil is not a creature of evil, but a great power, the lowest and the highest, both of beast and god. Like all power it is frightening and dangerous...but it is also the key to freedom and transcendence if understood and well used."

"I still don't quite understand," I admitted after she had finished interpreting my future through tarot cards.

"The Fool is you, Jack. I have to say that the journey throughout your life seems to be the most troubling. You are only young and naive now and blind to any dangerous obstacles in your way, yet you still have people around you stop you from crashing into these obstacles, metaphorically speaking. This love of your life may jeopardise this way of life and she will influence you to live your life in a whole new manner. You'll be unsure and fearful of this new way of life, but The Hierophant represents something that will take all these fears away, whether that is a good or bad thing. Your journey through life will lead you to change your whole outlook on life as interpreted in The Hanging Man and this then concludes with Death. Although you won't literally die, something within you will and you will become a whole new person. The transformation from old to new is usually a good one, but what follows assures me that it won't be. The Devil has become a great influence on you and I can tell you that this transformation into a new person will not be a good one. I'd like to say that this be a warning to you, but what is read in these cards cannot be changed. I just beg that this demon within you isn't as bad as it appears to be."

That seemed to clear things up a lot. Whether I believed or not, I was still unsure. Madison was still sat next to me completely silent and paralysed. She was the first to stand. "Well, thank you, Lady Mystique. It's been an interesting encounter."

"I'd like to say the same to you. You are by far one of the most interesting clients I've had in my pleasure to read. Thank you, Jack. I hope Madison is all well after this. Farewell."

Even after we had left the tent, Madison still looked shook up. I didn't even know what to say to comfort her because I didn't think she'd react that way for something so minor and idiotic. "Madison, are you okay?" I asked after a moment of silence.

She nodded her head in response and replied with, "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm a very superstitious person, so stuff like that really freaks me out. I'm sorry. Why don't we go do something to distract ourselves, huh?"

"Okay."

After Madison had bought candy floss from one of the food stalls, she forced me to go on the Ferris wheel with her. It looked old and rickety and the only reason I didn't want to go on it was because it looked like it was going to collapse at any second. Nevertheless, she dragged me on and already I felt uncomfortable. "So, Jack, I've realised I hardly know anything about you. I think I've told you loads about myself, so maybe you should tell me a little about yourself."

I sighed. I knew she had been begging to ask for awhile, but thought it'd be rude to ask. "There really isn't much to tell," I replied, not knowing what to say. "I'm just an ordinary boy, living in Gotham. What do you want me to tell you?"

"I don't know, Jack. Just tell me something. You told me in school, that no-one talks to you. Why's that?"

"Because I'm weird. I don't talk to anyone because I don't try so no-one attempts to talk to me. People make rumours and people believe what they hear. I can be really hostile too and I have a bad temper. It's not intentional, but I just get worked up over little things," I explained.

"Well, I can't see how anyone could hate you. I've only known you for less than a day and already you're one of the sweetest guys I've ever met without even trying." Unexpectedly, Madison placed a swift kiss on my cheek catching me by surprise. Afterwards, she thrust the candy floss in my direction. "Want some?" I shook my head 'no', but she wouldn't take it. She ripped a piece off of the stick and placed it near my lips. "Just have some," she ordered not moving the candy floss away from my face. In defeat I opened my mouth and let her place the floss on my tongue. The sugar in form of fluff instantly dissolved within a second of reaching my mouth.

Once our cart had reached the top of the Ferris wheel, there was a great view of Gotham visible. I realised I was actually enjoying myself with Madison which came as quite a shock considering I don't remember the last time I've actually been truly happy. I didn't want it to end, no matter how much it pained me to know that it wasn't. It was silent, but it was comfortable. The sounds from the carnival were a lot less brash now that we were higher up in the air, which was a relief to me. Madison rested her head on my shoulder as she slowly ate the candy floss that was left on the stick and I began thinking about what that fortune teller had said. I sincerely hoped that Madison was the one that was going to change my life; however I still didn't know whether she was going to change it for good or for bad.


	7. Fight! Fight! Fight!

**Chapter 7: Fight! Fight! Fight!**

After coming off of the Ferris Wheel and going on a few rides with Madison, both of us decided to call it a night. It was getting late after all and the carnival had begun to lose its novelty. I sincerely thought that I had had a great night, compared to what I thought it was going to be like. Madison was right; she did make it a whole lot better. Just as I was thinking about how great the day had been for a change, something happened that made me think otherwise.

"Jack? Isn't that that boy you were talking to in school today?" Madison questioned as she stared straight ahead, eyes squinted as she tried to decipher whether or not it was him. I looked in the same direction she was looking and sure enough, I saw Kyle and his mob making a clearly evident beeline towards me. He didn't look happy to say the least, nor did any of his followers.

"Oh, God," I muttered under my breath. I tried to think of ways to avert from the situation as I didn't want Madison to be brought into any fights I had. Madison was totally oblivious to the machinations of mine and Kyle's relationship and I wanted it to stay that way. I had a feeling Kyle wouldn't take a liking towards Madison once he knew that she hung around with me and if anything happened to her, I only had myself to blame. Obviously, my quick witted mind was lacking the motivation to think up an elaborate plan of escape or any minor plans for that matter. Kyle had already made his way up to me and was now going to confront me.

"Didn't think I'd find you here, Jack," Kyle started, already full of cynicism. "Good job I did. I wanted to talk to you about something." Not wanting to start any trouble, I gently grasped Madison's arm and attempted to usher her away from the mob. "What's happened to you, Jack? Where's all the fight in you gone? Has the pretty little lady already brainwashed you into changing your ways?"

"Just ignore them, Jack." Madison whispered in my ear as we continued towards the exit. I gulped hard and swallowed the lump that was forming in my throat from all the anger, as I couldn't find the ability to form any coherent words.

"That's right. You listen to your little whore of a girlfriend." That's when I lost it. There was no need for inappropriate and cruel name calling like that and the fact that it was Madison he was name calling exacerbated the idea. No matter how much Madison tried to hold me back, she wouldn't prevail. I began storming over back to Kyle with both my fists clenched tightly, my knuckles more prominent now as they turned white with desire to punch Kyle square in the nose.

"No, Jack! Let's just go home, please!" Madison exclaimed as she used both hands to tug at my arm. "There's only one of you and there's several of them. Just forget about it. Please, Jack, I want to go home."

"Just a second," I hushed, dragging Madison along with me as I reached Kyle. Without a second thought, I swung the arm that was free as hard as I could and smashed Kyle straight in the face. I heard an array of gasps emit in unison as Kyle collapsed to the floor clutching his nose and Madison shocked and scared had now let go of my arm. As soon as he was down, I took this as my chance to release my wrath upon him. There were no pessimistic thoughts or signs of regret whilst doing it, because I knew he had it coming. A large crowd had begun to form around us as they relentlessly chanted the words, **'Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!'**, everyone creating a sudden blood lust as they watched the sickening entertainment. My moments of glory, continuously pounding Kyle in the stomach and facial area soon faded when his followers tore me away from him and then started on me. A swift kick in the ribs and firm punch in the eye, and I knew I wasn't going to be able to get back up again until they had all stopped. No matter how much I struggled to push myself up, there were just too many of them to even make it to my knees.

I heard Madison screaming something. It sounded like "Get off him, get off him," but I couldn't be sure. All the other powerful sounds overpowered her one voice wanting to break free the fight. I managed to catch a glimpse of Madison clawing at the arms of Kyle's posse, attempting to pull them away from me, but she was only viciously thrown aside by one of the group. There was a sudden spark of energy and displeasure once seeing Madison being ill-treated and this influenced me to send a hasty kick to Kyle's lower abdomen. The spark soon faded, however, when a punch to the forehead sent my head crashing to the ground. I was dizzy, but still not yet knocked out.

When I thought it was all over for me, I heard loud bellows of male men emerging from the solid crowd of people. "Break it up! Break it up!" Two security guards yelled as they dragged the apes off of me. As soon as I was certain I was free, I struggled to my feet maybe a little too fast. Madison was instantly by my side, gripping me tightly as she tried to hold me up straight. We both scrambled out of the carnival not wanting to cause anymore commotion or having to talk to Kyle or the security guards.

Madison's breath was shaky once we had left the carnival, but I couldn't tell if she was crying or not since it was so dark out. I saw no reason for her to be crying, considering that I felt perfectly fine. Well, as good as I could be after being beaten profusely. It was totally worth it just to send a few punches to Kyle's "perfect" face. The bruises and contusions will just be a little reminder of me and what I could do to him. If it wasn't for his apes, I'd have beaten him up for longer. In my eyes, I had won, but at the same time I'd upset Madison greatly. Madison's shaky fingertips gently turned me around to face her. We came to a sudden stop in the street once everyone was out of earshot and Madison began examining my face to the best of her ability now that we were in the dark.

"Are you okay? I can't believe they did that to you! Oh my god," Madison panicked as she wrapped me in a hug being gentle, wary of the injuries to my torso.

"I'm fine, Madison. I've been through worse. Me and Kyle have been in fights way bigger than that, I promise you. How are you?" I asked after breaking away from the hug and continuing down the street.

"I'm just a little shook up, that's all. I tried to help you, but I just couldn't. I'm so sorry. I told you not do it; you should have listened to me!"

"I know, I know. I'm sorry. I knew I shouldn't have brought you into it, but when they called you a whore I just couldn't control myself. I did warn you that I had a short temper and I'm sorry you had to see me like that. I must seem like a total monster right now."

"No, Jack, I understand," she stated. I noticed her glancing across the street for a moment. "Hey, are you hungry? We could stop there if you want something to eat," she suggested as she nudged her head in the direction of the diner. I looked in the direction and noticed that it was the diner that I worked at. It was pretty desolate and empty at this time of night, but I still didn't trust the place.

"You really don't want to be eating there, Madison. I work there and trust me; it's a shit hole. Besides, I'm not that hungry."

"Well, you know best, I suppose. Everything around here seems to be a danger to me. I think you're just being overprotective."

"I'm not. I'm being considerate. I'm just warning you of the many cautions here and I know for a fact that the chance of you getting food poisoning in there is very high."

"Fine. Just take me home then," Madison ordered. I happily did so feeling obligated to do it anyway.


	8. I Am Jack's Cold Sweat

**Chapter 8: I Am Jack's Cold Sweat**

"I promise you; I'll show you around the nice places of Gotham one day. I'm a man of my word," I stated as we neared Madison's front door.

"I'll make sure you keep that promise. You know, asides from the fight, I really had a good time tonight, Jack. I've known you for a day and I really hope we become good friends. I say this without trying to sound cheesy, but I'm failing terribly."

"Don't worry about it. I guess I'll see you tomorrow in school. It's going to be grim, but we can always get out of classes again," I suggested with a grin on my face. She grinned back looking somewhat mischievous. I wasn't sure if it was me being the bad influence on her or if she naturally had a tendency to not abide by the rules. Her parents couldn't be blamed because they both seemed like the most nurturing parents who always want what's best for their children, yet I couldn't be certain since I had only known them for ten minutes or so. She quickly swiped something out of her bag once we had reached her front door and I soon realised it was some kind of pen. Without asking, she grabbed my arm and began writing something down on it. "Oh, yeah sure. Abuse and take advantage of my body without permission. I don't mind," I stated sarcastically.

"Shh. I'm only writing my phone numbers down for you. I want you to call me as soon as you get home, just to make sure you're okay. I don't want you getting attacked again, that's all. This one is my cell phone and that one's my house phone," she informed me as she pointed at each. Unfortunately, I didn't have the money for a cell phone. I've tried saving up for one but most of my money is taken away from me by my parents and the money that's left over I spend on small things like cigarettes. The house phone that I did have resembled a black brick and all the numbers had begun to wear away. It was clear that my house didn't keep up with the latest gadgets and high-tech equipment. Once she released my arm, she simply stared at me with a smile and I returned a similar one, basking in the silence. "Okay...um-"

Before Madison could finish her sentence her front door swung open. I jumped slightly at the abruptness and because standing at the door stood an unhappy looking Natalie. "Madison, what are you doing?" She questioned sternly. She was glaring more so at me rather than Madison. I suspected that she suspected something was going on between us, when in reality I was only conducting a good deed by making sure Madison reached her home safely. That's one good deed done for life; I can die happily now knowing for certain that I'm going to heaven.

"I was just saying goodbye to Jack, mom," Madison replied with the same tone.

"Well hurry up, it's far too late for you to be out on a school night." It was only half eight. I'd hate to see her reaction if we were out past midnight. Natalie looked like the dragon type kind of mom. The one's that look as if they could breathe fire at any second. On first appearance they look relatively harmless but a closer glance and you will notice they are extremely scary with their disapproving ways and eyes that looked as if they could make your body spontaneously combust.

Madison sighed heavily before quickly breathing a goodbye. She smiled at me before she stepped inside the house and then Natalie virtually slammed the door in my face. I rolled my eyes at the stupid bitch and then started off home. I was just glad to get out of her presence. She really didn't like me and I didn't know what I could have done to make her like me; she was just a hard woman to please. I'd rather be hated for what I am than to be loved for what I'm not. I wanted to like Natalie, but I just couldn't bring myself to do so. I had no reason to like her anyway, other than the fact that she was Madison's mother.

As I neared closer to my home and I was now in the centre of The Narrows, the streets were now filled with obscenities. It was in no way subtle, but instead full on indecent behaviour. The walk home seemed like trudging in mud and filth as I attempted to squeeze past people without having to touch them. "Hey, hon, want to go some place quieter?" One woman exclaimed as she wobbled towards me in her high heeled go-go boots. I shook my head profusely as I shoved past her, shivering violently at the fact I had made skin to skin contact. Her skin felt like shiny plastic, with greasy translucent goo covering it. I grimaced at everything I laid eyes upon. There were alcoholics screaming profanities at something in my direction and I couldn't be sure if they were talking to me, the lamppost or just the world in general. Either way I continued with my journey, being hassled by hookers in the process.

I spotted someone familiar standing across the road. It was my mother, scantily clad as she chatted up a dirty, black tied, old man. I had never witnessed my mother actually doing what she did for a living and the sight sent a wave of nausea through me. I couldn't stand the fact that she had to do this every night, when in reality she could have had so much potential in her life. I couldn't help but feel a little bit to blame. If it wasn't for me, my mother would never have had to marry my father and she could have stayed in school and done something productive with her life. I sighed heavily as I watched her climb into the car beside that pervert and I averted my eyes not being able to bare the sight no longer.

Eventually I made it to my house without anymore whores hounding me. All the lights in the house were off, so I assumed that I was the only one home. I began to walk up the stairs to my bedroom, but stopped half way when I heard an almost inaudible growl emit, "Jack?" It was my father's voice and it came from the living room.

"Yes?" I responded warily.

What he said sounded intimidating as if he was aiming to scare me. Although the fury wasn't completely clear yet, I could still tell this was just the lead up to it. All I could do was brace myself for the worse and hope that whatever he was going to do was going to be quick and painless. I highly doubted it, however. "Come here. I need to talk to you...now," he ordered.

_I am Jack's cold sweat._


	9. I Know A Thing Or Two

**Chapter 9: I Know a Thing or Two about a Thing or Two**

I did as I was told and unwillingly walked back down the stairs. When I entered the room my dad was standing besides the bookshelf wearing a black, round neck t-shirt and black denims to match. His arms were crossed over his chest as an empty bottle of Jack Daniels hung from his hand; a full bottle sat on the coffee table in front of me, just waiting to be opened. All I did was stand nervously at the entrance of the room awaiting the confrontation with my father.

"Where've you been, Jacky boy?" He asked slowly, with a slight slur in his words.

"I went out with a friend," I admitted simply.

He nodded his head with both eyebrows raised and his lips pursing as he uncrossed his arms and reached up for the jar of money. _Fuck_, he had found out. I knew I wouldn't be able to get away with it and now I could only face the consequences. "So...you decided to take some of my money from this jar."

"I'll-" before I could finish my sentence, it took me awhile to register the glass bottle flying towards me. I swerved to dodge the object and watched it shatter against the wall, shards big and small falling to the ground.

"Look, I know a thing or two about a thing or two and I know for a fact that you stole my money. Don't even think about trying to lie to me!" He yelled as he began to make his way over to me with long, heavy strides. Unwittingly, my feet began to shuffle back attempting to get away from him. But it was no use. He already clasped the nape of my neck in a choke hold and slammed me against the wall where the bottle had previously smashed. There was no use fighting back because I knew I was way too weak. Its one thing to take on similar aged lads from my school, but my dad was a whole new story. He was pretty burly anyway and his blind fury combined with the amount of alcohol running through his system seemed to give him superhuman strength. Fighting him would only be a fool's errand. "That money is for me, you little bastard. What made you think you could get away with it, huh?"

"It's not your money! I worked for it!" I exclaimed not being able to hold it back. It ended up with me sprawling across the floor after his stone-like fist collided with my jaw. I landed in the broken shards of glass, making the landing more painful than it should have been. That combined with the previous injuries done in the carnival. My teeth clenched together in pain as I hissed, but before I could even regain my composure my father was already attacking me relentlessly with kicks and punches. I tried to reason with him through the attacks, "I'll give you the money back, I swear. Just get off me," I groaned in agony. A moment later he backed away from me, breathing heavily after giving me painstaking beating. He glared down at me, still clearly furious. As fast I could I reached into my jean pockets and pulled out what was left of the money. It was still over half of what I went out with. Viciously he snatched the money away from my hand and sent another swift kick in my ribs making me emit a grunt. As I rolled around in pain on the floor, desperately clutching my sides for some sort of soothing, my dad grasped the full Jack Daniels bottle and started towards the front door.

Even when I was sure he was definitely gone, I still couldn't bring myself to get up. The overwhelming pain was just too much. My bare arms stung from all the tiny glass shards piercing my skin, my torso ached from the punches and kicks to my stomach and my whole body in general just felt weak and dizzy. Shakily, I pushed myself up from off the floor and realised that I still had Madison's numbers written on my bloody arm. Gently I snatched the phone from off the hook and made my way up to my bedroom with it. The journey was a little longer now that I had been attacked profusely. Attempting to lie down on my bed was the worst part of all. I couldn't do it without making contact with one of the injuries on my body. Once I was sure I had found a relatively comfortable position, I began dialling Madison's cell number.

It only took two rings before Madison answered, _"Hello?"_

"Hey, Madison. It's Jack."

"_Oh my god, Jack! I was so worried. I didn't think you were going to call and then I thought maybe something had happened to you. I'm so glad you've called, finally._"

I sighed knowing that something **had** happened; just not what she had expected it to be. I wasn't going to admit to her what it was. "Well, I just wanted you to know that I'm...fine. You can stop worrying." I rolled over for a second, oblivious to my injuries for a moment and groaned loudly.

_"What's wrong with you?"_ Madison asked after my strange bodily function.

"Um...nothing. Why are you whispering?" I asked, slightly confused.

_"My parents are in bed so I need to be quiet. Speaking of which, I'm supposed to be asleep too. I should be going now and I'm going to leave you be. I'll see you tomorrow, Jack. Goodnight."_

"Goodnight, Madison," I mumbled tiredly. When I heard the other end of the phone go dead, I placed the phone on my bedside table. I stripped out of my clothes before crawling back into my bed, which proved to be extremely difficult. Every toss and turn was complete torture and I debated whether or not I should take some painkillers, but figured I was just too exhausted to do it. After a lot of struggling, I realised that I was just going to have to put up with the burden of pain and eventually fall asleep no matter how uncomfortable I am.

Every sound that came from inside the house made me flinch, thinking that maybe my dad had come back for another round, but I realised I was just being paranoid. Nevertheless, I fell asleep feeling anything but at ease. The events were completely traumatising and I wish that I could show my dad how much his abusive ways could affect and mentally scar me for the rest of my life. That's not to say that he could possibly know how much this was scarring me and was just an evil, alcoholic fiend who enjoyed watching his seventeen year old son suffer because of him. It's always a possibility. Does he feel good about himself knowing that his son spends most of his nights fearing that his father may come in intoxicated and vicious, knowing that he was ready to start another fight with him? I hope he realised that because of him I couldn't spend a day worrying about what may happen if I was to do certain stuff that may involve my father. It hurt to know that what was supposed to be one of the most loving and nurturing figures for a son was completely destroying that dependence by torturing him and making him live a life of fear as I lay in my dirty bed sheets now being stained with drying blood.


End file.
